VICTOR VINCENTE OF
AMERICA
Born Michael Hiltner in 1941 Los Angeles, CA.
Started racing at the age of 16. After establishing
the double transcontinental record, Santa Monica - Atlantic City
- Santa Monica (36 days 8 hours 1975), Michael changed his name
to Victor Vincente of America.

"I've been on a bike
since I was 16 years old, it feels so natural that I forget that
I didn't invent it."

I
contacted Victor Vincente of America through his web site and asked
for his recollections of his days as an Eloi and his history in bicycle
racing.

How did
you become an Eloi?
Attending Santa Monica City College (the name at that time) I saw
a notice on a bulletin board that extras were wanted for a film.
Applicants had to be short (I qualified at 5' 5.5")

Did you bicycle to the studio?Yes. In those days I had no car. I first got a car in 1962,
at age 21.

How did
the production find out about your bicycle racing to use you for
publicity?
Don't know, except that I was always there by bike; maybe they asked
me. I was too shy to bring it up.

Which
scenes were you in? Can we find you watching the film?
I remember a scene by a river where Yvette was in danger and was
rescued, and a feast scene, and eating fruit. I remember sirens
calling us to go underground. I saw the film once when I was in
Florence, Italy, in 1961, and I thought I saw myself briefly in
the river scene.

Victor's
response after seeing this screen shot:
" Now I remember being directed to splash with my hands,
I also remember veiwing the film in Florence, and thinking
I spotted myself ever so briefly when that scene flashed
by. "

I'm
not familiar with the world of bicycle racing so I'll have to
rely on you for any comments you wish to include in that respect
In 1958 I won the California road racing championship, at the
distance of 50 miles, so during the filming in 1959 I was current
champ.

In '59 I made the PanAm Games team (Chicago). Also '60 Olympic
team (Rome) when I remained for two years in Florence to compete.
'63 PanAm team (Sao Paulo) and '64 Olympic team (Tokyo). I was
National road champion in 1965, as well as North America hillclimb
champion (Mt. Evans, Colorado).

Later, after racing days, I established the double transcontinental
record (Santa Monica - Atlantic City - Santa Monica) at 36 days,
8 hours. That record stood nine years. Then in 1979 I discovered
dirt roads and independently invented mountain biking, and designed
and produced some early mountain bikes. Others in Marin County
were already doing that without my knowledge.

I've been
inducted to the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, the Mountain Bike Hall
of Fame, and have been declared to be the "Most Significant Person"
[in the History of Mountain Biking] by Mountain Bike magazine. I
stayed with cycling because I was doing well with it, and I always
craved attention and recognition.

During the
filming of the Time Machine (in fact, all during my younger years)
I was shy, timid, naive. When I recently logged onto Ms. Mimieux'
website, I was shocked to realize she and I are the same age. I
always assumed that she, being a movie star, was an older person
than I. Seeing myself alongside her in the promotional photo is
like a Time Machine experience in itself, and brings to mind the
alternate universe that would have come to pass if I had had the
nerve to talk with her, to make some connection. Even at this time,
I would welcome an opportunity to meet her again.

Thanks again
for your time. Feel free to bring up any further questions
. . . . Victor Vincente of America